BAHRAIN: University sacks students, staff

24 April 2011

The University of Bahrain has dismissed 200 students, academics and other employees for incidents connected to recent unrest. Dr Ebrahim Mohammed Janahi, the university's President, told the state news agency BNA that the damage caused by "regretful incidents" during unrest on 13 March amounted to US$928,000, Andy Sanbidge writes for the news magazine Arabian Business.

The news came after 400 people were questioned by the Education Ministry's investigation committee, which led to 111 ministry employees being suspended and facing the sack for their roles in recent uprisings. BNA said the investigations proved "their clear implication in the recent events which erupted at schools, jeopardised students' safety and created a sectarian rift", according to Arabian Business.
Full report on the Arabian Business site
Full report on the Arabian Business site

Despite this, the country's parliament wants the university to open at the end of the month, seven weeks after it was ransacked by anti-government protesters. Mohammed Al A'Ali writes in Bahrain's Gulf Daily News that MPs voted on 19 April in favour of reopening the university, despite warnings from Janahi that classes should only resume after tight security was in place to "prevent vandalism and sabotage".

Appearing before parliament, Janahi said only 8% of students were involved in chaos at the university and others had every right to an education and to finish their studies on time. "The board will meet within the upcoming days to decide when classes will restart with a rescheduling of the time lost and how to make it up for students," he said.
Full report on the Gulf Daily News site

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